The authors found that awareness of new U.S. Army Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG) policy is not widespread among Army spouses, and aspects of the program could be improved. However, findings also suggest that SFRGs can be effective.

Over the past decade, more than 10 billion dollars has been invested in Pittsburgh tech companies, with more than 3.5 billion invested in 2021 alone. With the context of such strong sectoral growth in mind, RAND researchers set out to characterize the science- and technology-focused (STF) workforce ecosystem in the Pittsburgh region and suggest policy changes and investment opportunities to help propel the region's STF sectors in the future.

More than 155,000 New Yorkers were trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) between 2016 and 2020. Free citywide trainings were made available to all New Yorkers and were disseminated through city agencies and community-based settings. RAND Corporation researchers conducted a mixed-methods study that included a web-based survey of past trainees and a series of focus groups with leaders of community-based organizations and city agency staff to assess the impact of the MHFA trainings and needs for future training. In this report, the authors describe the evaluation activities that took place; the methods behind them; and the results at the individual, agency, and community levels. They also offer recommendations for ways to improve future mental health education efforts. Respondents applied MHFA skills extensively and broadly across their social networks. Nine in ten respondents had contact with an individual with a mental health problem in the past six months. Among those who had contact, 84 percent indicated using their MHFA skills to help a friend or family member, and nearly half reported applying skills with a co-worker, neighbor, or acquaintance. Because MHFA was offered through city agency workplaces and community-based settings, tens of thousands of New Yorkers were given tools to come to the aid of individuals in their personal and professional lives. MHFA may be a promising approach to building supportive social networks, organizations, and communities that are primed to recognize and assist those experiencing mental health challenges.

Dou gong (æ--拱) is a traditional Chinese bracket system commonly used throughout historic Chinese architecture, largely dating back to the Tang Dynasty. The use of Dou gong requires precision for each joint to interlock without a single nail or drop of glue, forming a robust and aesthetically pleasing structural system for the overhanging roofs. Inspired by this artistry, the thesis explores possibilities of reviving the Dou gong method through modern fabrication. It follows the process of research, design, build and application of an architectural installation to critically question: how can we employ the advancement of modern technology to revive a long-lost ancient building technique of the traditional Chinese joinery system, and create a monumental piece in commemoration of the COVID-19 global pandemic? This ancient artform's beauty lies within the craftsmanship that demands high precision cuts for each piece to perfectly join together. The once repetitive and labor-intensive complex joints can now be programmed and mass-produced, allowing for efficient and effective construction. The practical approach of the project has led to the design of two different scaled architectural installations: the realization of the 'Hashtag Wish Tree' for the annual Auckland Art Week and Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens Exhibition and the 'Sentimental Piece' proposal as one of the top finalists for the 2020 Brick Bay Competition. Both installations are carefully crafted as a monumental piece, hoping to reactivate the site and reunite people together as the crisis settles back into normality. The notion of the installation marks this historic event, translating it into an architectural language which bridges the traditional and the modern; the east and the west; architecture and sculpture, into one.

Residents of the Pittsburgh area have many local options for pursuing education and training to prepare for science- and technology-focused (STF) jobs. These options include colleges and universities, technical schools, coding boot camps, and workforce development centers. In this online tool, RAND researchers compiled a list of STF providers and programs in the Pittsburgh area. The tool includes information on costs; whether remote, part-time, or evening programs are available; and whether funding may be available. Potential students can filter the list by county, credential type, and occupational group (e.g., engineering, health, computing and math) to find out which types of degrees or certificates can be earned in which STF fields.

Victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment often experience a variety of psychological outcomes and mental health symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Sexual trauma also might affect careers. Despite a need to address these harms, some service members have reported that connecting to health care or mental health services following sexual assault or sexual harassment can be difficult-in part because of a lack of leadership support. Given these persistent challenges, the Psychological Health Center of Excellence identified an urgent need to better understand research that is pertinent to sexual assault and sexual harassment during military service so that the U.S. Department of Defense and the military services can improve the health care response for service members. RAND researchers investigated and synthesized relevant research in three topic areas: (1) the effectiveness of psychotherapy treatments designed for adult victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment in military settings; (2) barriers faced by U.S. military members to accessing and remaining in mental health care settings; and (3) associations between sexual assault or sexual harassment and mental health conditions.